Device for handling tubular articles



April 19, 1955 D. w. JEWELL DEVICE FOR HANDLING TUBULAR ARTICLES Filed Aug. 16, 1950 INVEN TOR. Dewzu. W. JEV

fiTTORNE Y United States Patent DEVICE FOR HANDLING TUBULAR ARTICLES Denzil W. Jewell, Newton Falls, Ohio Application August 16, 1950, Serial No. 179,743

6 Claims. (Cl. 294-97) My invention relates to devices for handling tubular articles such as coils and the like, and the principal object of my invention is to provide new and improved devices of this character.

Devices for handling coils are not entirely new but their impracticality is born out by the fact that none of them is in general usage in industry today. Of the most practical ones, it may be said that they are unduly complicated and necessitated considerable time and mechanism to effect the gripping or releasing of the coil. In addition to these shortcomings, previous devices were proven to damage the coil, this necessitating a repairing operation or the scrapping of the coil in whole or in part.

In contrast, my invention provides for a secure engagement with the coil but without the attendant possibility of damaging any portion of the coil. This gripping and releasing action of my device is accomplished by operation of sliding the hoisting hook of the crane into engagement with the desired lifting position. It may be seen that the type of construction providing for the above recited results is extremely desirable; the operation of engaging and disengaging with the coil is reduced to a few seconds time; and further, there is no'damage to the coil or loss of holding ability.

In the drawing accompanying this specification, and forming a part of this application, there is shown, for purposes of illustration, an embodiment which my invention may assume, and in this drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment of my invention, showing it disposed within a plurality of stacked coils, the coils being shown in section,

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the device in position to raise the coil,

Figure 3 is a small scale elevational view showing the device transporting the coil,

Figure 4 is a small scale elevational view showing the device in position to be removed from thecoil, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view generally corresponding to the line 5--5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, the embodiment herein shown to illustrate my invention, comprises a pair of elongated members and 11 pivotally connected to a cross-bar 12 by respective pivots 13 and 14. Also pivotally connecting the members 10 and 11 are a pluralityof links 15, these links and the cross-bar 12 forming a system of parallel linkage.

A sleeve 16, having a laterally extending wedge shaped projection 17, is slidable on the lower extremity of the member 11. A transverse pin 18 secured to the member 11 and cooperating with slots 19 formed in opposite sides of the sleeve 16, provides limit stops for the sliding sleeve.

A rail 20, having looped end portions 21 and 22 and a connecting portion 23, is secured to the upper surface of the cross-bar 12. The looped portions 21 and 22 are adapted for engagement with the book 24 of a crane for a purpose later to be disclosed.

As may be seen in the drawings, wheels 25 are secured by means of hangers 26 to the member 10, for a purpose to be disclosed.

Operation and usage of my invention is as follows. As may be seen in Figure l, the device may be lowered into a coil, or series of coils 27, by means of a crane hook 24 engaged with the loop portion 21 of the rail 20. Continuation of the lowering operation, after member 11 contacts the floor, will permit member 10 to move downwardly and, by means of the action of the connecting links, outwardly, until the weight of the device is removed from the hook 24. The book 24 may then be moved into engagement with the loop portion 22 and the lifting operation commenced.

As the device is lifted at the off-center position 22, the members 10 and 11 will be forced outwardly by means of the connecting links and into contact with the inner surface of the coil. The inclined wedge portion 17 of the sleeve 16 will be forced under the lower edge of the coil, the slidable feature of the sleeve assuring that the portion 17 will remain at the lower edge of the coil in the event the member 11 rises a short distance. Complete engagement of the device with the coil is shown in Figure 2, and Figure 3 illustrates the device and coil during the transporting phase.

It may be noted that the vertical axis of the coil is tilted during the transporting phase as shown in Figure 3. This is accomplished by lifting at the position 22 which is some distance removed from the vertical axis of the center of gravity. At the present time it is desired to so transport the coil to provide for ease of operation in depositing it on its side. It will be evident that as the coil is lowered, the portion 28 of the coil will contact the floor first, the center of gravity of the coil and the device being so distributed that the coil will come to rest on its side as shown in Figure 4. This placing of the coil on its side is deemed desirable as many shippers secure their loads in this manner. It will be evident however that the coil could be deposited on end by proper manipulation of the crane, by assistance from a workman on the ground, or by a relocation of the position of engagement of the crank hook with respect to the vertical axis of the center of gravity.

Referring to Figure 4, which illustrates the placing of the coil on its side, it will be evident that as the weight of the coil is removed from the device, the members 10 and 11 will move toward each other until completely collapsed. The device may then be drawn out of the coil, the wheels 25 assisting this operation. When the device is clear of the coil, the hook 24 may then be shifted to engagement with the loop portion 21 and the device lifted in the collapsed position, ready to be inserted into another coil for repetition of the cycle.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal object of my invention and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiment herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiment is illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. A device for handling tubular articles such as coils and the like, comprising: two elongated members; a crossbar having spaced-apart pivots providing for connection of respective said elongated members thereto; link means pivotally connecting said elongated members; foot means secured to one of said elongated members and being extensible and retractable with respect to said member to provide for engagement with the lower end of a coil; and means providing for at least two positions of attachment of said device to a hoisting mechanism, each of said portions being disposed adjacent one of said pivots whereby lifting from one position will urge said elongated members to move away from each other and toward the inside surface of a coil, and lifting from another position will urge said elongated members to move toward each other and away from engagement with the inside surface of a coil.

2. A device for handling tubular articles such as coils and the like, comprising: two elongated members; a cross-bar having spaced-apart pivots providing for connection of respective said elongated members thereto, said cross-bar having a portion extending beyond one of said pivots; link means pivotally connecting said elongated members; and means providing for attachment of said device to a hoisting mechanism comprising, rail means secured to said cross-bar and providing bight forming portions adjacent respective ends of said cross-bar and also providing an intermediate portion connecting said bight portions, said bight portions being adapted to engage the hook of a hoisting mechanism and in manner so that lifting at one bightportion will urge said elongated members away from each other and toward the inside surface of a coil and lifting from another bight portion will urge said elongated members to move toward each other and away from engagement with the inside surface of a coil.

3. A device for handling tubular articles such as coils and the like, comprising: a plurality of elongated members; a cross-bar pivotally connecting said elongated members in spaced relation; link means pivotally connecting said elongated member; wheel means secured to said device and engageable with the floor during at least certain handling operations; and means providing for attachment of said device to a hoisting mechanism.

4. A device for grasping tubular members on the interior peripheral surface thereof, comprising a pair of elongated members arranged in parallelism, and a plurality of parallel cross-links each having its opposite ends pivotally connected to respective elongated members, and means for effecting tilting of said cross-links to various parallel positions, whereby in one position said cross-links draw said elongated members together to provide for insertion of the device within a tubular member and in another position said cross-links urge said elongated members apart and into gripping frictional engagement with the interior peripheral surface of a tubular member.

5. A device for grasping tubular members on the interior peripheral surface thereof, comprising a pair of elongated members arranged in parallelism, and a plurality of parallel cross-links each having its opposite ends pivotally connected to respective elongated members, a cross-link adjacent to one set of ends of said elongated members having a laterally off-set portion providing a track formed with spaced-apart stations, said track being adapted to receive a hoisting member and said member being shiftable along said track to position at one or the other of said stations, at one station said hoisting member causing tilting of said cross-links to draw said elongated members together to provide for their insertion within a tubular member, and at another station said hoisting member causing tilting of said cross-links to spread apart said elongated members into gripping frictional engagement with the interior peripheral surface of a tubular member.

6. A device for grasping tubular members on the interior peripheral surface thereof and firmly moving them from a position wherein such members have a lower end resting fiatwise on a supporting surface, comprising a pair of elongated members arranged in parallelism, a plurality of parallel cross-links each having its opposite ends pivotally connected to respective elongated members, means for effecting tilting of said cross-links to various parallel positions whereby in one position said cross-links draw said elongated members together to provide for insertion of the device within a tubular member and in another position said cross-links urge said elongated members apart and into gripping engagement with the interior peripheral surface of a tubular member, and a foot on the lower end of at least one of said members, said foot being extendable and retractable in a direction longitudinally of its member and engageable with the supporting surface when the device is fully inserted within a tubular member, said foot automatically extending when said tubular member is grasped and lifted from the supporting surface and having a portion engaging underneath an end surface of the tubular member at that time to hold the tubular article from sliding off of the device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 13,245 Walter July 10, 1855 435,594 Teetzel Sept. 2, 1890 526,574 Houghton Sept. 25, 1894 833,469 Lea Oct. 16, 1906 880,404 Sanford Feb. 25, 1908 934,831 Parker Sept. 21, 1909 1,351,167 Gunn Aug. 31, 1920 2,216,676 Ragland Oct. 1, 1940 2,342,506 Wrobbel Feb. 22, 1944 2,375,747 Brown May 15, 1945 2,584,801 Handforth Feb. 5, 1952 2,610,890 Jaeger Sept. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 174,459 Great Britain Feb. 1, 1922 483,982 Great Britain Apr. 28, 1938 

